Características del peso, edad gestacional y tipo de parto de recién nacidos en el sistema público y privado

Abstract

Aims: To compare the gestational age, weight and delivery of newborn belonging to public and private health system, Concepción, Chile. Method: This study included 2540 newborn from the same number of pregnant woman with gestational age between 28 and 42 weeks from October 2004 to July 2005; 1531 newborn from public and 1009 from private health system. We use the health system as independent variable and gestational age, weight and delivery type as independent variable. Results: The premature rate was significantly higher in public system (10.68% versus 5.32%) and the mean neonatal weight was lower (2383 g versus 2786 g). The mean weight of term newborn from the private system was lower than the public system (3326 g versus 3458 g). The cesarean rate in the private system was 81.1%; 55.4% were elective and 63.1% of them were performed between 37 and 38 weeks. Conclusion: The access of public patients to the private system looks like an advance to get equality in health, but that doesn't reflect in better perinatal result and in the cesarean rate.